So far, the sailing has been mostly smooth—some rough patches of seas here and there but nothing that Grow Further and its crew and captain can’t handle. As Peter can certainly tell you, founding an agricultural science nonprofit on a concept that had never been tried before is no simple task, but as Grow Further goes from strength to strength, Peter finds that there are ever more good reasons to treat himself to a brisk celebratory jog at Luther Burbank Park. There is plenty of hard work ahead; Grow Further is still a very young organization and has much further to grow in its quest to transform how the world finances agricultural research. But the signs are promising. Jen is now helping Peter steer this ship he’s created to clearer, calmer waters with a strong wind at its back. “I am a mother, and I cannot bear to think of children without food,” she said. “There are many challenging things in life you can get used to, but hunger is not one of them.” Jen and Peter are also finding ways to help each other enjoy their lives on Mercer Island. For instance, Peter recently discovered a local entrepreneur selling shoes that may be a better fit for his Island jogging. Jen ended up trying out a pair first. “I’m planning to buy some running shoes made by a company cofounded by a Mercer Island resident and Grow Further donor member, but haven’t yet done so,” Peter explained. “Jennifer has, and she says they’re great.” When these two Grow Further team members and Mercer Island residents get together, it’s almost always about the mission ahead, whether that means planning sessions during their 90-minute work meetings over coffee at Starbucks or Sano Café, or attending a metro-area conference together in their official capacities. But they’ll occasionally bump into each other as they get more and more involved in the island’s community, an instinct that helps drive their passion for fighting for a more food-secure future. For example, Peter mentioned how he once stumbled into Jen quite by accident at Pioneer Park—they both had independently signed up as volunteers to help remove invasive English ivy from the park on the same day. Peter Kelly is only too happy to occasionally roll up his sleeves and help keep Mercer Island beautiful. He said he can’t imagine living anywhere else in the area. “I take the east and west bridges off the island at almost exactly the same frequency,” Peter mused, “so if I were to leave to be closer to off-island destinations, I don’t know which way I’d go!” Mercer Islanders shouldn’t be too surprised to find Jennifer Dine strolling along the streets or at a park on any given day with her kids or dog. “It’s a beautiful place with great access to the water and many green spaces and beautiful trees,” Jen noted. “The sunsets over the water with the mountains in the background are like nothing I’ve ever seen.” Welcome to our warm, traditional synagogue ...no matter your Jewish background Offering a variety of Jewish services, classes and events, including: • Weekly Shabbat and holiday services and celebrations led by Rabbi Yechezkel Kornfeld • Classes on Jewish living, texts and Talmud • Hebrew School, ages 5-10, by Chabad of Mercer Island • Classes and presentations including Hebrew, history, health and recreation • A landmark mid-century-modern setting, featuring a special exhibit of synagogues around the world Join us for Sabbath services every Saturday between 9:30 and 12:00, and check our online calendar for our other upcoming events. Island Crest Way & SE 47th St., Mercer Island • 206.275.1539 • www.IslandSynagogue.org 18 April 2024
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